In Takotna: Hugh Neff

The veteran musher says he almost pushed on to Ophir for his 24-hour layover, but he couldn’t resist Takotna’s advantages: both for humans and for dogs. (Neff wasn’t alone. As of late Wednesday night, several dozen mushers were taking their 24-hour layovers there.)

Our Iditarod reporter Laureli caught up with Neff during his stay in Takotna. The musher discussed what makes Takotna so appealing, as well as his mushing mentality for 2010, his “smart” dogs, and his plans to stay on the sled in years to come: